1Berkshire and MassCEO to Host Regional Symposium

Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire, in partnership with the Massachusetts Center on Employee Ownership (MassCEO), will host the Western MA Regional Employee Ownership Symposium at the Berkshire Innovation Center on March 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
 
The symposium will provide information about MassCEO and employee ownership models, and will address effective succession planning, pay equity, and wealth building. Regional employee-owned firms will share their experiences. Attendees will learn about potential state and federal funding to support employee ownership and will have the opportunity to participate in a round-table discussion with subject matter experts.
 
The event is part of regional collaborative efforts in the Berkshires to address business succession and transition planning.
 
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested by March 20. Registration can be completed at https://bit.ly/MassCEO-Event.

Tags: 1Berkshire,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories